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Accent Modification Q & A with Derra Huxley

Accent Modification Q&A with Derra Huxley

Accent Reduction /

Accent Modification Q&A with Derra Huxley If you have questions about my accent modification program, you’re in the right place! If you have any other questions after reading this accent modification Q&A, please contact me. I will be happy to answer your questions and help you figure out if Accent Reduction is right for you! What is your professional background in teaching Accent Reduction? I’ve been a licensed California speech pathologist for over 25 years, and I also trained with the Compton P-ESL course, which stands for Pronouncing English as a Second Language. I have been specializing in Accent Reduction for over 20 years and have developed some of my own materials as well. I think being a speech pathologist has really been helpful for me to be able to use my training and hours of experience in being able to analyze people’s speech and figure out exactly what sounds they’re making that do not exactly equate to the American Standard pronunciation. Then I help people to understand how to physically make those sounds. Why are people interested in reducing their accents? Most of my clients come from all different parts of the world and can already speak English fluently. With a strong accent, clients find they are embarrassed or can’t communicate as effectively as they want. They feel this is holding them back in terms of getting a job, having better social relationships, or getting a promotion at work. They want to learn to communicate as clearly as possible in a listener-friendly way. Does it matter what country the client is from, what their native language is, or how old they are? Absolutely not! The same principles for teaching Accent Reduction apply, no matter what country you are from or the language you speak. As far as age, I feel that you can learn something new at any age. If you’ve already learned how to speak English, you can also improve and learn how to speak it better. Do you help people with regional accents as well? Yes, I do! I work with people from the southern United States, New York, and other places where the population speaks with a strong or identifiable accent. I also have many actors with accents come to me. Sometimes, accents can limit the performer’s chances of being considered for a role because the role they auditioned for does not need the accent they naturally speak with. Are there any sounds in American English that are most commonly mispronounced by your clients? In my experience, I have seen people from other countries have problems with the TH sound because it does not exist in their language. For example, the “thumb” is often mispronounced as an F, “fum”, as a T, “tum”, or sometimes as an S, “sum”. Vowels also present a big challenge. Many of the vowels in American English do not exist in other languages. The sound ih is commonly mispronounced as an e. Instead of saying “slip”, or “I’m going to slip on that”, it might be pronounced as “sleep”, or “I’m going to sleep on that”. Do employers ever cover the cost of Accent Reduction training? Many companies will cover the cost of Accent Reduction training for their employees to improve their communication skills. Clear communication is very important when employees make presentations or interact with people on the phone and in person. Accent modification and reduction courses have several additional benefits outside of clearer pronunciation. How does the course begin? I begin my courses by doing a full evaluation of your speech. You will record yourself saying certain words and sentences, reading out loud, and answering some general questions spontaneously. I will use this recording to analyze your speech and devise an individualized plan to work on the sounds you struggle with. What happens after the initial evaluation? During the first lesson, I will share the results of your speech evaluation and individualized plan so you can know the sounds we will be working on. The next step is to help you hear the difference between how you make the sound and how the sound is pronounced in standard American English. From there, I will teach you how to make the sound by practicing. You will learn how to make the sound itself, then in words, and then in sentences. After each lesson, I will give you homework to practice what we covered. Each class lasts about an hour. Depending on the course you select, we will meet once a week for either 7 weeks or 13 weeks. What materials are used for the course? With the class, we have a few different materials. We will primarily use the book, Pronouncing English as a Second Language by the Compton company. You will also have unlimited access to an online practice lab where you will record yourself practicing directly onto your computer. These recordings also get sent to me so that I can review them and give you feedback on how you are progressing. How can people that are interested in your course contact you? You’ve found my website because you’re reading this now! You can reach me via phone or email. My phone number is (818) 385-1216. Complete this form to get in contact with me via email. I will call you back if you include your phone number. If not, expect an email in your inbox. A message from Derra I would love the opportunity to work with you! My goal is to help people feel comfortable and confident in their speech. It’s so valuable to have the ability to communicate more effectively in your career and social environment. I look forward to working with you soon! Previous PostNext Post

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learn about Heteronyms

Heteronyms

Accent Reduction /

Heteronyms Have you ever heard of heteronyms? Perhaps not by name, but we use them all of the time. Heteronyms are actually words that are spelled identically but have different meanings when pronounced differently. Sometimes the meanings are completely different, whereas other times they have somewhat related meanings. They can confuse people who are learning English as a second language because of these reasons. A Few Examples of Heteronyms Let’s look at the word “estimate”. Pronounced as EStimit, it is used as a noun, as in, “We need to get an estimate of what the costs will be.” Pronounced as Estimate, it is used as a verb, as in “Let’s estimate the time it will take to build the house.” Another example is in the word “produce”. Said as “PROduce”, it is a noun meaning fresh fruits and vegetables, as in “Let’s buy some fresh produce at the supermarket.” Pronounced as “pruhDUCE”, it is a verb which means to bring into existence, as in, “The company will produce a new model car next year.” There are a surprising number of heteronyms in the English language. This is a good website to help you discover more of these heteronyms and how to pronounce them. A few common examples are: Desert Excuse Number Object Perfect Present Subject Wind Confusing the meaning and pronunciation of this word can lead to misunderstanding among your peers. It’s important to recognize the different meanings of words to have coherent conversations in your workplace and among your peers. Are you still confused about heteronyms? Don’t worry – it takes a lot of practice to identify heteronyms when you’re learning the English language. I’m here to help! In my Accent Modification program, I’ll create a customized individual learning program for you based on the analysis of your speech. The customized program designed for you will address voice projection, grammar, intonation issues, and Standard American English pronunciation. Learn more about the program here. If you have any questions, reach out to me! I’d be happy to help. About Derra Huxley, Speech and Language Pathologist I am a California-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge. I work as a Preferred Trainer with LDS & Associates – Accent Modification Program, and I am a member of CORSPAN (Corporate Speech Pathology Network). I collaborate with people of all ages to improve their communication and pronunciation skills in schools, hospitals, and private practice settings. To learn more or to contact me, complete this form or reach me at 818-421-7444 I look forward to hearing from you! Previous PostNext Post

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“What’s Wrong With Having An Accent?”

“What’s Wrong With Having An Accent?”

Accent Reduction /

“What’s Wrong With Having An Accent?” I’ve heard many people say, “What’s wrong with having an accent? I like to hear different accents and don’t want to hear everyone speaking the same.” My answer to that is this: Each person has a unique way of speaking, no matter where they learned to speak. For example, I’m from California, and to people living in New York, I have an accent. People speaking English as their second language, having been raised in a country outside of the U.S., may have a very recognizable accent when they speak English. This accent is part of who they are and represents their cultural heritage. However, reducing or modifying the accent can be extremely beneficial under the following circumstances: When an accent stands in the way of being understood When it causes embarrassment and self-consciousness to the speaker When people are not listening as much to what is being said, and paying more attention to how it’s being said When it creates an obstacle to securing a desired job or promotion at work. Accent modification is especially beneficial for professionals in the medical, educational, business, law, and performer fields. Accents can have a strong impact on the workplace. Voice and accent tutors are needed to help employees be better understood by their peers, clients, patients, and employers. Do employers ever cover the cost of Accent Reduction training? Many companies will cover the cost of Accent Reduction training for their employees to improve their communication skills, especially when they have to deal with people on the phone, making presentations, or dealing with people in person. You should check with your supervisor and/or HR Manager to see if your company offers any type of reimbursement programs or if you can obtain a stipend to cover your costs for Accent Reduction training. About Derra Huxley, Speech and Language Pathologist I am a California-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge. I work as a Preferred Trainer with LDS & Associates – Accent Modification Program, and I am a member of CORSPAN (Corporate Speech Pathology Network). I collaborate with people of all ages to improve their communication and pronunciation skills in schools, hospitals, and private practice settings. To learn more or to contact me, complete this form or reach me at 818-421-7444. I look forward to hearing from you! Previous PostNext Post

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trust between the learner and teacher

Trust is Key

Accent Reduction /

Trust is Key For many of you who want to reduce foreign or regional accents, one of the main motivations to do so are underlying feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness, and shame about the way you speak. Perhaps you have been frequently asked to repeat yourself when the listener did not understand what was said the first time. Often, you are asked where you are from, leading you to think that people are noticing how you are speaking rather than paying attention to what you are saying. By enrolling in an Accent Reduction program, a sense of trust needs to be established between the learner and teacher. To learn and make progress, learners need to feel that they are in a safe environment and that it is okay and natural to make mistakes. As human beings, making mistakes is at the heart of learning something new. For some, it is intimidating to change long-established speech patterns. Learning and practicing new speech patterns can flourish when there is a well-established sense of trust between the learner and teacher. Once a student experiences increased confidence when speaking with their teacher during lessons, this confidence will begin to carry over into their daily lives. Is your accent hindering your success? Here are some ways to know if your accent is standing between you and your success in an English-speaking society. Are you often misunderstood? Do people frequently ask you to repeat yourself? Do you feel that people are focusing more on your accent than on what you are saying? Do you fear that your accent is standing in the way of getting the job you want or from being promoted at work? Do you feel embarrassed and upset when people have difficulty understanding you? Goals of Accent Modification The most important goals of accent modification are speaking English with improved pronunciation and being clearly understood by others. While retaining the charm of your native accent, you will be able to: Be understood at work and at school Enhance your social communication Achieve greater career and professional advancement Build your self-confidence Trust me; I have been doing this for many years, and I know you won’t regret putting in the time and effort to improve your pronunciation of American English. My program has benefited thousands of individuals from around the world, and it can for you, too! To learn more about the various programs offered and to enroll, visit this page. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. I am here to support your learning journey! About Derra Huxley, Speech and Language Pathologist I am a California-licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communicative Disorders from California State University, Northridge. I work as a Preferred Trainer with LDS & Associates – Accent Modification Program, and I am a member of CORSPAN (Corporate Speech Pathology Network). I collaborate with people of all ages to improve their communication and pronunciation skills in schools, hospitals, and private practice settings. To learn more or to contact me, complete this form or reach me at 818-421-7444. I look forward to hearing from you! Previous PostNext Post

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